Thomas Cloverleigh Echos of the Past (Harry Potter Fanfiction)

Chapter 20 - The Cards

"What are we going to do with this?" Thomas pulled the ribbon he took from his ring storage, placing it on the table. Getting them back to why they were here— Pipa.

"Yes," Bernard folded his arms across his chest, he sounded a bit uptight, but his hands had regained their colour. "What are we going to do with that?"

"I don't want this to spread, you understand." Lars started and Thomas nodded, already knowing what he was going to say.

"Like Thomas ability to tell truths. I'll keep it to myself." Bernard said his face so hard, and cold. Thomas swore he heard his teeth grit together.

"I believe you." Lars said with a hand on Bernard's shoulder. "I'm a seer, Bernard." Lars didn't beat around the bush, and said it outright. Thomas watched Bernard eyes pop open, along with his mouth. He shut it a few times, and he uncrossed and recrossed his arms.

"Are you..." Bernard started to say but trailed off with a shake of his head.

"Am I what?" Lars dragged out his Irish brogue. Making Bernard give him a faint smile.

"Good?" Bernard asked grimacing as he said it. Thomas winced, that sounded bad even to him.

"Asking if I'm a fraud?" Lars asked with a lifted brow. Bernard hide his face in his robe sleeve with a robe of his nose.

"Yes – sorry. People do fake it Thomas." Bernard looked at him like he was going to get angry. Thomas only shrugged.

"People lie, I get it Bernard." Thomas really did. A seer's ability isn't something everyone possessed, people who wanted it, but didn't have it. Would lie. In that fact, Thomas had no doubt.

"I'm good Bernard. More than I like to be." Lars said with a sad smile of his own.

"This is not going to make you sick, is it?" Thomas asked in a slow and quiet voice, not wanting to upset Lars further.

"I'll only be reading cards. It's not like my visions, that appear on their own." Lars pulled a deck out of his colourful robes. "I'll be okay, Thomas."

"Sick? Do visions make you ill?" Bernard's brows pinched together in worry. "I've never heard of that."

"No." Lars said.

"Yes." Thomas said at the same time. Making the two battle it off with stubborn looks.

"You got sick in the summer." Thomas pointed out, breaking off to his first line of defence — the truth. Lars shook his head.

"That is a rare event." Lars said, and Thomas chest tingled. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the full truth. Thomas gave Lars his best glare. "It won't with these — I swear." Lars crossed his heart with his card deck, but it was the clear feeling his straight and open gaze gave him. That made Thomas nod, and back down.

"Thomas?" Bernard asked, without asking. Thomas looked at Bernard and gave him a nod. He was telling the truth.

"Thanks for believing in me." Lars said dry as the castle walls were hard.

"I believe in your stubbornness." Bernard said with a crooked smile. Thomas nodded, completely agreeing with Bernard's words. Lars was stubborn – not at all like him.

"All right, you turn coats. Let's get this picture playing." Lars said, pulling a piece of black fabric out of his own ring. "This two items will, in theory, act as a conduit."

"Theory? You don't know for sure?" Bernard asked, tucking his hands inside his robes. It didn't stop Thomas from seeing the shaking of his hands. He was calmer, but still unnerved. Thomas thought it was best to look the other way. It's not like he had an answer to make his problems go away.